Barcelona ready to do 'everything' to win Europa League, says Frenkie de Jong

Catalans are unbeaten since January as they take on Galatasaray in the last-16 first leg on Thursday

Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez works with his squad in training on March 9, 2022, in preparation for Barca's Europa League last-16 first leg against Galatasaray. EPA

Barcelona's Jordi Alba, right, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang train for the Europa League clash with Galatasaray. EPA

Barcelona's Riqui Puig trains for the Galatasaray clash. EPA

Barca manager Xavi Hernandez with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ousmane Dembele. EPA

Ousmane Dembele, left, and Clement Lenglet train. EPA

FC Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong during the team's training held at Joan Gamper Sports City in Barcelona, Spain, 09 March 2022. FC Barcelona will face Galatasaray in their Europa League round of 16th first leg match on 10 March. EPA / ALEJANDRO GARCIA

Barcelona goalkeepers Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, centre, Neto Murara, right, and Arnau Tenas. EPA

Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez and Sergio Busquets during training. EPA

The Barcelona squad share a joke in training. EPA

Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong has said the club are determined to win the Europa League to make up for a disappointing start to the season.

Barca host Galatasaray on Thursday in the last-16 first leg of the second-tier European competition, and although the Europa League represents a step down from Barcelona's usual standards, it offers a chance to finish the season on a positive note.

Despite an uptick in domestic form to move into third place in La Liga, Barca are well off the pace in the title race and trail leaders Real Madrid by 15 points, albeit with a game in hand.

"We're excited, we want to win titles and now we're in the Europa League. So we're going to do everything to win it," Dutchman De Jong said.

"We are in a good place right now. Enjoying our momentum and playing with confidence. We won games in which we dominated and it gives you a lot of confidence, so we want to keep the momentum going."

With Real Madrid leading the La Liga standings comfortably, and their Copa del Rey campaign ended by Athletic Bilbao, the Europa League looks like the only way to win a trophy this season for Xavi Hernandez's side.

And, after eliminating Serie A contenders Napoli in the previous round, they are favourites to triumph in the final at Seville's Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium in May.

"We are pumped. We are in a competition that gives us hope," Xavi said.

"We had very good feelings against Napoli. We are in a very good dynamic and we want to keep going. We have to continue winning but we also want to win playing well. We have to keep insisting on our game model because it is what will give us consistency looking forward."

Barca are unbeaten since January 20, when they lost 3-2 after extra time to Bilbao in the Copa del Rey. A sense of euphoria is palpable at Camp Nou now that they are back in the Champions League qualification spots having fallen as low as ninth in November, when former coach Ronald Koeman was sacked.

"There are two objectives. The first is to qualify for the Champions League next season and the other is winning the Europa League," Xavi added. "But how we finish in La Liga is the best indicator about how we are doing our job because of the weekly effort."